Ed likes cars. He likes to drive cars fast. Really fast. He doesn’t worry about speeding tickets. Well, at least not at work, where he drives a car that sits inches off the ground, has no roof and goes more than 220 mph on a track that reaches 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Ed Carpenter drives the No. 20 car in the Indy Racing League’s (IRL) IndyCar Series, and he loves it.
The Need for Speed
You could say that Ed is following the major foundations of his upbringing in small-town Marshall, Ill.
“I grew up going to a Christian church,” Ed says. “Sunday school and church were part of our life.”
So was auto racing. Ed’s mom married Tony H. George, the third-generation owner (and current CEO) of the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500. The marriage made Ed part of the Hulman-George family, one of the most influential in auto-racing history.
“It’s great that I have such a history of racing in my family, but that's not why I am doing what I am doing,” Ed says. “I'm definitely racing for myself, because I want to do it and be successful at it. It's just great to have a family that understands what I do and supports my career as a driver. Tony has driven professionally, so he and I can often relate and talk about things on and off the track."
One thing Ed and Tony can talk about is speed. Indy cars qualify at more than 200 mph. “The speed is definitely one of the best parts,” Ed says. “That’s what makes this sport fun.”
Get Ed talking about racing, and he’s like a kid in a candy store. “We are racing the fastest cars in the world,” the 26-year-old driver says. “I really like ovals, especially super speedways, because that’s where we can really showcase our speed.”
So what’s it like to go that fast? “There’s a lot of air passing over the car just above your head,” Ed says. “But when you are driving, you really don't notice the speed that much unless you are faced with an incident. You tend to get acclimated.”
Not that the adrenaline rush ever grows old for Ed.
“I think the speed and the rush of passing cars and winning races—especially the drive to win—is what it has always been about,” he says.
Growing Up Fast
Ed started his career as an 8-year-old driving Quarter Midgets, one of the smallest versions of open-wheel cars. (In the simplest terms, the wheels of open-wheel race cars are not enclosed inside fenders or bumpers. They’re in full view along with the car’s axles and suspension.) Ed learned the ropes quickly. “I won my first seven or eight races, so it was no wonder I fell in love with the sport,” he says.
Ed admits that racing can be a lonely activity for a kid. Playing other sports in his early years allowed him to make friends, but things changed in high school when Ed got really serious about racing.
“Most kids in high school are judged by popularity,” he says. “And if you don’t play school sports, that is hard on your popularity. Racing wasn’t exactly the cool thing to do in school.”
Some friends would tease him by making car noises in the cafeteria. But Ed kept racing, relying on close friends, faith in Christ and family to keep him grounded. “I have always been very close with all of my family,” he says.
Ed raced Quarter Midgets and Three-Quarter Midgets for nine years, winning multiple local, regional and national titles. In 1998, Ed started in his first United States Auto Club (USAC) Midget race. (USAC is the sanctioning body for many of the open-wheel racing series that allow drivers to rise through the racing ranks.) Midget cars are bigger, heavier and faster than their smaller versions. To no surprise, Ed excelled quickly. He won his first feature race as a rookie and placed 13th in the nation overall.
Within two years, Ed moved up to racing Sprint cars, larger, quicker versions of the midgets. He also began competing in the Silver Crown Series, the most competitive USAC division, where he drove still larger, heavier open-wheel cars. Ed finished ninth overall in the Silver Crown Series and earned his first feature Sprint victory.
“I raced with a lot of great drivers in USAC,” Ed says. “Unfortunately most of them have gone on to race in NASCAR.” Ed mentions Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne and Carl Edwards, three of today’s premier NASCAR drivers.
Getting Serious
Ed took a different route. In 2002 he entered the Indy Pro Series, a developmental league for drivers hoping to make the top-level IndyCar Series. There the cars reached nearly 180 mph, and the protective roll cages were gone.
It was then as a young adult that Ed began to realize just how vital his faith in Christ was. “As a child, I didn’t see how my faith had anything to do with my driving,” he says. “But as I’ve grown older, especially in my experiences in the IRL, it has become very important to me. Just dealing with the stress of the sport, not to mention the inherent risks, really makes you come closer to Christ.”
Bob Hills, IRL chaplain, says Ed’s Christian upbringing played an important role in that realization. “It was during his early days racing USAC and Silver Crown cars that I really got to know Ed,” Bob says. “His faith is important to him on a very personal level. He was raised to be that way.”
“Now that I’m an adult, I realize just how important my relationship with God is,” Ed says. “I believe racing has brought me closer to God than anything. There are so many ups and downs in this sport, and God is always there for me. It is a relationship that I need to continue to grow. And I believe God will continue to impact my life as long as I keep my focus on him.”
A Dangerous Road
Ed’s career really accelerated in 2003. He won the Indy Pro Series inaugural Freedom 100 in Indianapolis, and he made his first appearance driving a top-level Indy car. In 2004, he was hired as a full time IRL driver by Red Bull-Cheever Racing. He finished the season 16th overall and earned runner-up rookie of the year. In 2005, Ed was hired by his current team, Vision Racing, which is co-owned by his parents and actor Patrick Dempsey. Ed finished 18th in the 2005 overall standings.
“[Racing] is a dangerous sport,” Ed says. “So you have to think about the things that could happen if something went wrong.”
Something did go terribly wrong at Homestead-Miami Speedway in March 2006. Two minutes into the morning practice session, Ed’s car spun and hit the wall, bringing out the caution flag. Such incidents are common, but what happened next was both unexplainable and horrible. Paul Dana, a rookie driver following several seconds behind, did not slow his speed when the caution flag flew. His car crashed into Ed’s going nearly 200 mph. Both drivers were flown to a local hospital. Ed was listed in stable condition. Paul Dana died.
“It’s a dangerous sport,” Bob says. “Our guys are tremendous athletes, but there is an element of faith.”
Ed fully recovered within a few weeks. Despite missing two races, he finished the 2006 season 14th overall. He says what happened at Homestead was unfortunate and a reminder of the danger involved in racing.
“But that does not make me not want to participate in the sport,” Ed says. “All things in life are dangerous. I think there is just as much danger driving on the Interstate in my street car. I’m a firm believer that when it’s your time, it’s your time. When you are in a relationship with Christ, you are ready to go at any time. God has a plan for all of us. So the danger doesn’t worry me.”
Dealing with difficult times such as last year’s accident have helped strengthen Ed’s relationship with Christ and brought him even closer to God. “This darker side of racing makes you think about the important things in life, which leads you closer to the church,” he says.
The driver also acknowledges more subtle, off-track pitfalls to contend with. “If you are young and single in this sport, there can be a lot of temptations and distractions that can have a negative impact on your life,” Ed says. “Having a strong relationship with Christ has allowed me to overcome these things.”
Living the Example
It’s fitting that Ed’s current home is in Speedway, Ind., a suburb of Indianapolis. Most of the time, it’s a quiet community with small houses and decent schools. But each May the city explodes as the roar of the IndyCar engines ignites the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Like a lot of other things in Ed’s life, the home that he and his wife, Heather, share has a rich history. Ed’s grandmother bought the house new, and his stepdad, Tony, lived there for several years as a child. The house changed owners through the years, but Tony bought it back as an adult. When Ed entered Butler University in Indianapolis, he saw a grand opportunity to live close to his school and even closer to his dream: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Ed lived in the house as a student, then bought the place and remodeled it after he graduated.
“I have no intentions to sell it,” Ed says. “It belongs in the family. It has a lot of history. Drivers like A.J. Foyt and others used to stay there during the month of May."
Ed knows he’s blessed, and according to Chaplain Hills, he’s not afraid to tell others. “We travel around to tracks across the county, and Ed has been willing to speak and give his testimony at several tracks,” Bob says.
That doesn’t mean Ed—or other drivers and role models—are perfect. “They make mistakes just like all of us,” Bob says. “Grace needs to be applied to them as much as to any of us.”
“I feel fortunate that I am able to do what I love for a living,” Ed says. “A lot of friends are not as fortunate. I am very happy for that opportunity.” 
